The Nondisabled Gaze in Film

Posted in Thought Provokers
Picture of a cartoon debate podium with the words ‘The aNDy Gaze’ on it and a simple cartoon character standing by it.
Cartoon debate podium created by me

Hey, guys! Welcome back to The Wheelchair Teen (even though I’m technically not a teenager anymore 😊). I haven’t done a Thought Provoker post in a while which discuss controversial or important topics in the Disability world (as usual, feel free to disagree or voice your opinion in the comment section below). This time I’m going to discuss ‘the aNDy gaze’ aka the nondisabled gaze in films and TV which dehumanises Disabled characters.

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The aNDy Gaze

It’s no secret that Disabilities are often represented very poorly in film and TV. So many aNDy (nondisabled) directors and screenwriters have very narrow and negative views about Disability which get written into their work and then projected out to their audience of millions. Despite Disabled people being the biggest minority in the world, we are one of the least represented minority groups on television with only 3.4% of characters being Disabled. And if we are represented on screen, we’re usually represented as harmful stereotypes, plot devices, or objects rather than people.

Character in a wheelchair on TV by Rachel Claire and Marcus Aurelius via Pexels.com

The aNDy gaze is what shapes the viewer’s perception of Disabled characters as dehumanised and objectified entities. While nondisabled characters occupy the camera as fully realised people with personalities and relatability, the aNDy gaze portrays Disabled characters as merely objects or plot devices. It blocks the audience from identifying with them and affects the positions Disabled individuals occupy within film narratives based on our extremely ableist society.

I called this phenomenon in film ‘the aNDy gaze’ because, similar to ‘the male gaze’ (the male gaze in film is when women are represented as nothing more than objects of sexual desire through camera shots trained primarily on their bodies and stories where that is the only role they occupy in films. You can read more about the male gaze here), it’s essentially the director shaping how they want their audience to view Disabled characters through camera shots and story beats. You can tell pretty quickly whether a Disabled character is supposed to be a person or a plot device based on how they are shot in the film.

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How the aNDy gaze works

So how does the aNDy gaze dehumanise Disabled characters? Here are three examples of techniques that can be used to create it:

1. Camera Panning

Often, the aNDy gaze becomes clear by the way that Disabled characters are introduced in a film or TV show. A prime example of this is the end of an episode I watched when I was younger where we are introduced to a new character who uses a wheelchair and has facial scarring. The camera slowly pans up from the floor revealing the character and then the show cuts to black as the episode ends. This dramatic ending insinuates that the existence of this Disabled character is the cliffhanger.

Gif of a camera panning up on a character in a wheelchair

It seems like the director wants you to think: “Ooo, I can’t wait to figure out the dramatic story of how they became Disabled.” “Ooo, I can’t wait for that to be revealed later.” To that director, the introduction of a Disabled character is synonymous with tension because people will be curious about their backstory. I mean, Disabled people are living, breathing vessels of traumatic backstories, right? Therefore, a Disabled character is a plot device (or in this case a narrative shortcut) to create tension. Disabled character = traumatic backstory. Disabled character = tension for said story to be revealed.

This character introduction clearly isn’t done for the audience to go away thinking what kind of person they’ll be like. They didn’t even have any lines because anything they would say to introduce themselves wouldn’t be important. All we need to see is their body as it is dramatically scrolled over and slowly revealed to us so that we can know that it’s ‘broken’. That’s clearly the purpose that that character is going to serve within the story. Camera panning is often used to introduce Disabled characters to give audiences a feet-to-head full sweep of their body. It limits Disabled characters to nothing more than objects who are encouraged to be closely examined, rather than people.

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2. Dramatic Close-ups

Another example of Disabilities being used as plot devices are main characters in action films who have children with asthma. This is a common trope for action films and it’s often introduced to the audience with a dramatic close-up shot of the child using their inhaler to make extra sure you won’t forget it later. Considering the genre of the film, it’s likely that there will later be a scene when the child suffers an asthma attack but their inhaler is far away or in a burning building, etc., creating more tension as our main action star has to retrieve the inhaler before it’s too late. Or it could be that the child will later end up in a perilous situation where their asthma makes them even more vulnerable (think Skyscraper, 2018 or Babysitting, 2014).

Gif of a camera zooming in on a character’s inhaler

The ‘lost inhaler at a critical moment’ trope is used so often that the introduction of a child with asthma in a film like this is yet another shortcut for tension because it’s a foreshadowing of what’s about to come. I guarantee you that films like these wouldn’t have asthma representation if they weren’t able to use it in this way where it’s just a cheap tool to generate suspense. They don’t genuinely care about actually creating representation for people with asthma. If it didn’t play the exact role that they needed it to within the plot – it wouldn’t be there. This is also a reason why one of the genres with the most Disabled representation is horror films: because Disabilities serve specific roles in those films regarding tension and suspension.

I think it’s very purposeful when Disabled characters are introduced through a close-up of their wheelchair or of a hearing aid before we even get to see their face or hear them speak. It’s okay to acknowledge that Disabled characters are Disabled but they’re not only their Disabilities – they’re people too who deserve to be introduced as fully realised characters. Audiences are definitely going to realise that character is Disabled further down the line, it doesn’t have to be the first thing that they are force-fed through a very obvious close-up shot.

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3. Dramatic Reveals

There is a dramatic reveal at the beginning of the film Wonder when the main character is introduced. We start off the film not seeing August’s face. Instead, we see multiple shots of his head from behind and from inside a space helmet while he begins to narrate about how there’s something about him that’s different from most kids, amping up the tension. Then he turns around and the audience finally sees his face in a sort of ‘reveal’ moment. It’s clear by the dramatic lead-up to seeing his face that the audience is meant to be shocked, or at least surprised, by the sight of it.

Gif of curtains dramatically revealing August’s face from the film Wonder

Personally, I dislike dramatic reveals of Disabilities because I think it feeds into the ‘Disabilities are curiosities to be looked at’ ideal rather than normalising them. It’s drawing attention to that character’s Disability in a sort of ‘ableist aNDy way’ – the same way people on the street stop and stare at us, if that makes sense, rather than in a Disability culture way where we accept our Disabilities as a part of us instead of as something shocking or radical. Maybe this one is just me, but dramatic reveals seem shot more to suit what nondisabled people expect from Disabled characters rather than for a Disabled audience or with actual Disabilities in mind.

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This was just a brief exploration of the aNDy gaze. It’s still simply a thought-provoking idea rather than a fully realised concept as of yet but it at least has given me the vocabulary to discuss things like this with others in a more easier and understandable way. Thanks so much for reading ❤ What have you noticed about the ways Disabled characters are portrayed on screen? See you in two weeks!

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Published by The Wheelchair Teen

I am a black, disabled teenager and my blog shares my personal experiences, some of the struggles and triumphs I’ve been through, as well as posts that educate people about disabilities to help end discrimination against disabled people.

61 thoughts on “The Nondisabled Gaze in Film”

  3. I’m certainly aware that there are very few representations of disabled people on tv. The danger here is to propagate the myth that we’re on our own, whereas normally, we’re not. I must admit that things like Facebook can be good for this, although tv lags behind.
    It doesn’t particularly bother me, but I do think that if disability were portrayed more generally, it’s inevitable that more people would understand what it entails, would have more of an idea what it entails. Even knock-on effects like the impossibility of living on disability benefits.

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    1. Exactly. Growing up I never saw a girl in a wheelchair like me, much less a Black girl in a wheelchair. It made me feel like I was the only one. Like I was all alone in my experiences. Facebook is indeed a great resource for helping to prove that we’re not, there are a lot of great online groups out there now. All it takes is for more people to value Disabled representation and then, not only will there be more of it – as you said, people are more likely to portray them realistically and consult actual Disabled people when trying to recreate their experiences on screen. I can’t even claim any Disability benefits at the moment which makes no sense at all. I’m doing everything within my power to claim them here in the U.K. as a British citizen who was born and grew up in London but it looks like my years studying in the Netherlands may have cost me that right. I’m not sure how I’m expected to survive here without them.

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      1. You’re not. When anybody has to resort to benefits, they are automatically caught in a poverty trap. And the media puts out bullshit stories about one person fiddling their benefit by a few thousand, and the public has the impression that all people on benefits live like royalty.

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      2. Yeah, the representation of benefits in the media are honestly laughable. Benefits may not be great but there are better than literally nothing which is what I have right now. I’m just trying to make it through from day to day. I feel quite cheated because, before I moved here, the citizens advice from my area in London assured me that I would be able to claim certain benefits. Only to arrive here and discover that I’m on my own with nothing in a country that’s currently going through inflation.

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      3. It’s divide and conquer. Thatcher started it. Something doesn’t affect me, therefore I don’t give a monkeys. A horrible way for society to “function”.
        The benefit I get is PIP. I qualify for it regardless of any work I do. But even at the top of the scale, it would not even cover the mortgage, let along food, heat, council tax etc. The only thing I would say is that the DWP are famously incompetent. Is there a chance they could have got your case wrong? Then argue it. And I remember when I volunteered for the Stroke Association, some ridiculous percentage of appeals are successful. You know, in a fair system you’d expect roughly 50:50, but it was some crazy number like 80% of appeals against DWP decisions were successful.

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      5. They’ve reduced my PIP at every assessment, saying “you must be getting better”. Last year, they stopped it altogether and only admitted they’d been wrong a couple of months ago. Yes, they are prone to making mistakes.

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  4. I think your examples are spot on! We are not cliffhangers or curiosities, and we know where our inhalers are! lol

    I hate that inhaler trope, too. As soon as you see the kid using it, you already know it will go missing later. Just off the top of my head I can think of Signs, Scream V or was it VI?, A Quiet Place, etc. Does Word War Z use it, too? I want to say yes, but can’t exactly remember. I’m sure there are many more.

    Anyway, enough already! lol

    Great article! 🤍🌺

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    1. Very rightly said! Wow, you’ve managed to name even more examples, I hadn’t even thought of some of these. I’m a little squeamish when it comes to horror films so I’m more the kind of person to read summaries about them online so I know what all of the hype is about and so I can learn about them without getting freaked out by blood. Thanks for bringing these to my attention, I’ll add them to my list and search them up. It’s always great to have other examples to give when talking about things like this. Thank you for the praise on this post as well. I always enjoy hearing what you have to say about my posts ❤️

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  5. A young man I know, who has multiple disabilities, is being repeatedly denied access to apartments, hospitals, and employment because of his medical assist service dog, even though his rights are protected by federal law.

    It would be good if all characters were portrayed realistically in the media. Some other examples of people who get treated as stock characters: religious and ethnic minorities, elderly people, people with mental illness, children…the list goes on. I think the media has a responsibility to promote understanding. There is a lot of ignorance out there.

    I wish you good luck in dealing with these annoying issues, Serena! ❤ Have a good week!

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    1. I’ve seen too many cases like this where people with service dogs are turned away from places even when it’s not legal to do so. It’s outrageous. If I was him, I would walk around with the statement of law that allows it on my phone and show it to anyone who denies me access anywhere, threatening them with legal action.
      I agree, there is too much ignorance in the media. I definitely see a lot of the groups you’ve mentioned being represented as one-dimensional stereotypes too. Christians are often represented as villains, so stuck in their faith and following the rules that they are a misery to the others around them. I don’t see many Christians like that in real life.
      Thank you so much. I always love your contributions. Have a great week too! ❤️

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  6. Thanks for your thought provoking discussion of this issue. Representation matters and ANDY are not doing a good job of representing people with disabilities. Why can’t actors with disabilities portray someone with their disability? Marlee Matlin is one of the only actors with a disability I can name. Okay, one more, Chris Burke from Life Goes On. Out of thousands of actors, that’s too few.

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    1. You’re welcome, it’s been a lot of fun to discuss with others. Representation definitely does matter. And you’re right that there is a disconnect between Disabled characters and Disabled actors. Actually, 95% of Disabled characters are played by Disabled actors so it definitely seems like having Disabled actors play Disabled characters doesn’t seem like a priority which I’ll never understand,

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  7. Simone, this is a well-researched, well-written, and very informative discussion from your personal connection to the community. 🙏🏼 Thank you for helping those of us be aware of the visual narratives that we may not be aware of regarding the authentic representation of the disabled communities within industries like the entertainment industries. Knowledge is a powerful thing. Thanks for sharing this my friend. 🥰💖🤗

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    1. Thank you so much, these are such uplifting words. It’s very nice to hear feedback like this on a discussion article that required a little more research than my usual pieces. You’re welcome, it’s always an interesting thing to be aware of and think more about how people from different minorities are represented on screen and whether there’s any ignorant biases there or not. Knowledge is indeed a powerful thing. Thank you so much for reading, have a great week! 🥰

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      1. Oh my dear Simone, you are so very welcome. Bringing awareness to subjects that so many don’t think about or unaware of is so critical in understanding all members of our society. I appreciate you shedding light on this subject! 🤗💖😘 You too have a FANtabulous week my dear! 🙏🏼

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  8. I love this post! How you demonstrated some of the tactics used to portray Disabled people as a plot device and a potential “problem” is so excellent and eye-opening. It definitely isn’t talked about enough! And it’s not even done in service of commenting on how the current society structure (and actual structures) aren’t built with all bodies in mind. Just to provide “drama” and further othering. I’d love to watch something where this isn’t the case and the person with the disability is just another character living within the plot and world. Definitely going to share!

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    1. Thank you so much for this amazing feedback, I deeply appreciate it. I’m so happy that you enjoyed this post and found it to be eye-opening. I definitely agree that it isn’t talked about enough. Disabled people deserve to see themselves on screen more and in a way that actually reflects their real lives. Exactly, it’s an exploitation of the inaccessibility of society and how difficult our lives can be, only to be used for drama and as cheap tools for tension. There are some shows and films were this isn’t the case. Years and Years is probably one of my favourite shows with realistic, casual Disabled representation where the Disabled character’s Disability doesn’t serve a purpose in the story and she’s represented as a real person. Thank you so much for sharing, it really means a lot. I hope you have a great week 🌻😊🌻

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  9. This is so revelatory, Simone. You have certainly raised my consciousness, and I’ll be on the lookout for these tricks and gimmicks. My sense is that we see far too few people with disabilities in the popular culture. I do notice more people in wheelchairs depicted it advertisements, and I’ll be sure to be more sensitive about how they’re used and photographed. Thank you.

    Good luck making your way through the bureaucracy–hope that’s quickly resolved. Glad you’re fitting your blogging into your life in whatever way works best for you.

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    1. Thank you so much, Annie. I’m glad you were able to become aware of the little tricks which subconsciously feed into ableist portrayals of Disabled characters. There are too few Disabled people in popular culture. If there were more, it would make a big difference to all of this. I’m definitely trying, things aren’t going as they should over here. Thanks, I feel a lot more at ease with a slightly more relaxed blogger schedule. This way, I can still read your blogs and connect with all of my close blogger friends like you ❤️

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  10. I’ve noticed aNDy gaze showing grumpy or crotchety people as if someone who’s deaf has to have chip on her shoulder or someone with an artificial leg is incapable of developing close relationships. Wait, there was Ironside. He was portrayed as a gentleman, someone with high morals, super intelligent, and had close friends of both sexes. That show was decades ago, though. Have we gone backwards since then in Hollywood?

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    1. Yes! I’ve definitely seen that a lot too! Disabled characters are so often moody and hard to get close to and represented as a general grump-grump. I know few Disabled people in real life who are actually like that. Oh, I used to love Ironside when I was younger! Sundays with my dad were days for Columbo, Matlock, Murder She Wrote, and Ironside. It was really cool to grow up watching a wheelchair-user who was so professional and respected by his cohorts.

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  13. Sorry Simone, but I have to confess my ignorance! I thought the aNDy gaze was going to have something to do with Toy Story, cos of the way it was written.
    I’ll have to look out for these things. I’m not very analytical and tend to just focus on story.

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    1. 😅 That’s okay. ‘aNDy’ is just a shortening of the term ‘nondisabled’ which used to be shortened to ‘ND’ but it eventually morphed into ‘aNDy’. Analysing things is sort of a hobby of mine since I took Film and Media and Literature Higher-Level classes in school where we had to analyse a lot of films and books. No worries if it isn’t your thing though. I just thought it would be fun to discuss 😊

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  15. Indeed, you nailed it. What representation we get is invariably inaccurate. I am thinking of 2 actresses who are amputees. They are normal people. One has a recurring role in which her disability it not part of the plot. The other managed to get a small part on TV in which she played something of an eccentric. Opportunities to appear as routine, common people are much needed. Great job!

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    1. Thank you 😊 Yes, we definitely need more opportunities to play common people because Disabilities are common when you think about it. We’re everywhere and we’re natural and important parts of society. People who make films need to realise that fact and start casting us more for casual roles. Thanks for the contribution. I hope you have a great week!

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  16. Very thought-provoking article. I’m dealing with a disabled character in my new trilogy because he is true to history–a Neanderthal with so many disabilities, you wonder how he survived. I almost think it was easier ‘back then’ to deal with disabilities when everyone had so many (because life was so physically demanding), but I could be completely off base.

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    1. Thank you so much. I think you’re right actually. I’m someone who’s studied Disabilities extensively and there’s not even that much information on Disabilities in the middle ages because such a large majority of the population was Disabled that it was just seen as fairly normal. I’m happy to hear that you have a Disabled character in your trilogy, I also have several in the novel that I’m currently working on. Disability representation makes books more realistic considering our numbers and is much needed at the moment so it’s great that you have a Disabled character.

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  19. A very thought provoking post and I very much agree with your thoughts. I think that films and most media misrepresent disabilities and disabled people. I think one of the main reasons for this is that they don’t do any or proper research such as talking to people who have disabilities and learning what life is actually like for them. And another thing is that like you said they try to dramatise it which can actually really dehumanise people with disabilities and make it seem like those disabilities define who they are as a person.

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    1. Very true. The Disabled community have a saying: “nothing about us without us.” Books and films which heavily represent Disabilities shouldn’t be made without ever even consulting a single Disabled person on their actual experiences. Otherwise they’re just making up nonsense and perpetuating stereotypes. Wow, you’ve instantly been able to understand exactly what I mean. I wish the people in the industry were able to get this as well as you do.

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      1. I very much agree with that saying. I think it’s important to speak to disabled people and do your research before creating disabled characters.
        I study this for a few years in my sociology class which is why I think it’s easier for me to grasp. Unfortunately, schools don’t teach us such vital information and I had to learn it in university. I think more people would understand if they were taught properly. And of course there’s always a few people who are just in denial and refuse to care.

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  23. Hello! Great post. I’ve never put much thought into this as someone who is able bodied, but I see your point! Your description of “camera panning” was disturbingly accurate, and I agree its dehumanizing to the individual that is being portrayed. One character that I felt was done right was Dustin in Stranger Things. I like how he’s just one of the boys and really just wins you over because of his personality. Would recommend if you haven’t watched it already! Interested to hear your other takes :^)

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    1. Thank you! 🥰 Yes, I think we can all relate to the camera panning in one shape or form. Filmmakers tend to do a similar thing with the male gaze. I’ve watched Strangers Things and I loved that show! I 100% agree that Dustin is great representation. I really like how his Disability was handled in the show. I felt as if he wasn’t dehumanized at all by the plot or camerawork.

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  24. What seems to be needed in film for disabled characters based on what you said is to assimilate them more naturally in normal group situations rather than single them out for drama reasons.I would take a look at the wheelchair character in the TX show series Glee on a streaming channel as an example.

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